


Astro Cake

by grarnarye



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Multi, New Dangan Ronpa V3 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-24 04:24:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13803342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grarnarye/pseuds/grarnarye
Summary: This was a fic written for Maki's Birthday (February 2nd), and was originally posted on Tumblr.THERE ARE V3 ENDGAME SPOILERS AHEAD.---Maki Harukawa woke up earlier than anyone else in the house, cold sweat pooling down her neck and a scream caught in her throat.





	Astro Cake

Maki Harukawa woke up earlier than anyone else in the house, cold sweat pooling down her neck and a scream caught in her throat.

A nightmare, she thinks, and she tries to piece it together in her sleep-addled brain: Kokichi was there, and he was laughing, and he was under the hydraulic press, but no, it was really Kaito under the press this time, and he got crushed, and it was her fault, and–

She decided she was done thinking about it.

Maki looked at the bedside clock in her room, the cherry red digits practically glaring at her. 3:35 AM. “It’s too early, go back to bed,” they seemed to say.

Maki knew that wasn’t happening.

* * *

Maki’s day wasn’t going too great. While she (the “she” that she remembers, anyway) was used to running on little sleep, her job at the coffee place a few blocks down quickly wore on her patience. The lunch rush was pretty awful, customers were very unhelpful, and though it doesn’t happen nearly as often anymore, there were still people who asked if she was _that_ Maki from _that_ season of Danganronpa. By the end of her shift, she could feel a migraine forming in the back of her head. She exited the shop as quickly as she was allowed and rubbed at her forehead during most of the walk home.

She unlocked the door to their apartment and stepped inside, drinking in the comfort of the familiar space. “I’m home,” she called out to no one in particular. As she closed the door behind her, she waited for a response.

When she didn’t get any, a knot of uneasiness began to form in the pit of her stomach. Taking a look in the small living room only made this unease grow; there was no one there. Normally, Shuichi would be sitting on the couch reading some sort of mystery novel while Himiko lazed around in the general vicinity. The fact that it was now completely devoid of activity sent Maki’s train of thought in a dangerous direction: Did something happen to them?

Maki’s brain began to rattle off a laundry list of potential excuses for their disappearance–they overslept, one of them was sick, they just went out for lunch. However, her unease, which was rapidly growing into a panic overtaking her whole body, launched her toward the direction of the bedrooms. Before Maki took a step, though, she noticed an open piece of notebook paper on the coffee table. She picked up the paper, hardly noticing that her hands were trembling. Her eyes widened as she read the hurried chicken-scratch:

“COME TO THE KITCHEN”

* * *

Himiko and Shuichi had waited until Maki left to start setting up for their friend’s birthday party. The two of them quickly decided that the kitchen would be the best place for a party, and from there, the typical amenities were set up: streamers, cheap party hats, a banner displaying “HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAKI!” in Technicolor letters, a chocolate fudge cake. Himiko had even prepared a small magic trick to show off. _It isn’t much_ , Shuichi thought, _but it’ll have to do._ Maki would understand… probably. All the was left to do was wait.

As Shuichi sat down on one of the kitchen chairs, taking in the day’s handiwork, he turned to Himiko. She looked pretty exhausted herself; despite her size and perpetual laziness, she actually helped a lot in setting up the kitchen to look just right. Still, through her haze of exhaustion, she had the hint of a satisfied smile on her face.

Suddenly, Himiko turned her head to Shuichi. “Mmnyeh… D’you think she’ll like it?” she mumbled, partly stifling a yawn.

Shuichi gave her a reassuring smile in response. “Yeah, I think she will.” 

Just a moment after, the sound of a door opening and Maki’s voice muffled by the walls of the apartment reached their ears. Both of them froze up for a moment.

Himiko’s voice was almost a whisper when she shouted at Shuichi, “Q-quick! Turn the lights off!”

“Ah, right!” Shuichi dove for the lightswitch near the door as quickly as he could manage without making noise, then settled back into his chair in the darkness. 

Now that Maki was so close to seeing her surprise party, he was getting nervous. What would she say? _Would_ she like it? However, Shuichi tried to push his fears back, and he rehearsed the next few minutes in his head.

_Maki will come in the door, she’ll turn on the light, Himiko and I will wish her a happy birthday, she’ll act shy about it, she’ll eat the cake, we–_

The door slams open.

 

* * *

Himiko waited, held on to a breath that she wasn’t necessarily trying to. She was fidgeting with the fabric of her skirt. She was nervous and she was tired but she didn’t mind it and she was going to be energetic and she was going to help make Maki’s birthday fun and she was going to _try_ because Maki deserved it.

Maki flips the light switch. Himiko and Shuichi jump out of their chairs.

“Happy birthday Ma…ki…!” The energy in her shout died as quickly as it came, like she never said it at all. The look on Maki’s face…

Fear. Anger. A note held clutched in Maki’s slightly trembling hand.

_I messed up._

“Who… wrote this?” Maki asked, holding the clutched piece of paper up for all of them to see. Her eyes searched for danger.

_I messed up._

“U-um… I-I wrote it…” Himiko’s voice was shaky, barely audible.

_I messed up, and now Maki is upset, and the day is ruined_. Himiko couldn’t think of anything else.

“Maki… is everything ok?” Shuichi’s voice is nervous, but clear, but it sounds so far away because guilt is consuming Himiko right now.

Maki’s breathing was heavy, her eyes were still looking. “I… I thought you guys were hurt…”

“N-no, we’re not hurt… We’re ok, Maki,” Shuichi reassured her. “We wanted you to be surprised is all…”

“Then the letter…?” Maki seemed to be calming down, but her eyes landed on Himiko, searching for an answer. Any control that Himiko had on her emotions left.

“M-maki Roll, I’m sorry, I just didn’t want you to think we left somewhere, but I didn’t know how long you’d be gone, s-so I rushed it…” She was trying to will the tears back in her eyes but they wouldn’t stop and oh god she’s crying on Maki’s birthday, “a-and now you’re upset… I’m really sorry Maki Roll, I-I didn’t want to make you worry, I’m sorry–!” 

Maki placed a still-trembling hand on her cheek, stopping Himiko short, gently guiding her head back upward. Maki was crouching so they were eye level. Her intense expression from before was completely gone, replaced by something soft and warm and caring. Her eyes held no malice.

“Himiko. It’s ok, really. Sorry for freaking out,” Maki said. Himiko wasn’t sure why Maki was apologizing, since none of this was her fault, but it felt genuine.

“N-nyeh… Are you sure…?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“W-well… Ok, I guess…” Himiko sounded uncertain, but she felt a lot more relieved than she did 30 seconds ago, and Shuichi breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, Himiko felt something wet on her cheek.   
Oh. Maki kissed her on the cheek.  
The tips of Himiko’s ears starts burning almost as red as her hair. _Maki’s lips are so soft,_ is what she thought right afterwards, _but is that really a surprise?  
_

“I… appreciate this a lot. Thank you, both of you.” Maki’s voice brings Himiko back to reality. She was absentmindedly running her hands through her pigtails, and a shade of pink lightly dusted her cheeks. Himiko glanced over to Shuichi and saw him blushing almost as badly as she was; she had to guess that Maki kissed him the same way.

“Y-you’re welcome,” both of them stuttered out.

* * *

The rest of her birthday party passed without incident. Shuichi lit the candle and asked Maki to make a wish, which she did. She didn’t tell them what it was, because she found it more fun for them to guess and her to sit back and smile. The first bite of cake–fudge, she noted– practically melted in her mouth, and it was the most delicious thing she’d eaten all month. 

The cake was eventually moved off of the table, with Himiko taking its place. She was putting on a small magic show, complete with even the witch’s hat (Himiko had chosen to go bare-headed the past few months, so this was a surprise). The tricks– playing card sleight of hand, levitating napkins– were nothing Maki hasn’t seen before, but the fact that the red-haired girl was performing for them in the kitchen of their small apartment made it feel that much more special.

“And for my last act of magic, I’ll need a volunteer! Any takers?” She looks around the kitchen in an exaggerated motion as if it wasn’t just the two of them in there.

“Ah, I think Maki would like to participate,” Shuichi not-so-subtly chimed in.

“That will be perfect. Come up here, Maki Roll.”

Maki couldn’t help a small smile decorate her lips as she climbed up onto the table with Himiko.

“As you can see, this hat is empty, correct?” She put on a slightly deeper voice and clearly showed the inside of the hat to Maki and the crowd of one. Playing along, Maki nodded.

“Well, I can change all of that with a magic spell!” Turning the open end of the hat towards her, the red-haired girl flourished her hand a couple of times, spinned the hat around and–

“Ta-dah…!” Himiko was holding a huge bouquet of red roses toward her. Meant for her. Maki, naturally, started blushing.

After a moment of silence, Himiko started blushing herself and fidgeted a little. “Nyeh… D’you like it?”

“Yeah… Yeah, I do.”

* * *

After the party, as small as it was, they all returned to relax in the living room. Maki sat on the floor, playing with her hair. Shuichi was on the couch reading a book. Himiko laid next to him playing with the rim of her hat. 

_Safe. Relaxed._

Those words popped into Maki’s head when she thought of the current situation. Safe and relaxed… she can’t remember the last time she felt that way. Not without the two others in the same room as her.

_Love_.

That word came next. It was slightly surprising, but yet it sounded incredibly natural. Maki loved these two, that was a fact. Thinking back on today, it’s hard to even remember the nightmare or the shitty day she had at work. When she was with Shuichi and Himiko, those got pushed to the back of her mind, if just for a moment. Alone, they may not be fully functioning people; hell, they're probably all disasters.

But as long as she was being a disaster along with them, she figured that was just fine.

**Author's Note:**

> The artwork that partly inspired this fic:  
> http://casin-cassis.tumblr.com/post/170387860198/0202-you-are-loved


End file.
